


Explanations

by AerynB



Series: Bridging the Gaps [1]
Category: The Librarians (TV 2014)
Genre: Episode Related, Episode: and the Crown of King Arthur, Gen, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-07
Updated: 2015-01-07
Packaged: 2018-03-06 13:22:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3135983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AerynB/pseuds/AerynB
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Missing scenes for the pilot episode "The Librarians and the Crown of King Arthur." What does Eve do with Cassandra before she leaves for Oklahoma? Do the Librarians in Training meet Charlene? When does the Serpent Brotherhood have time to brainwash Cassandra into betraying the Library?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. What to do with Cassandra

Flynn was leaving the hospital E.R., leaving her with a girl in danger of being murdered like the other potential Librarians, and leaving her with the task of finding another potential Librarian in Oklahoma.

"Be ready for anything," he said.

"Define 'anything'," she asked.

"Oh, ninjas, possibly."

"Ninjas? In Oklahoma?!" she shouted back. Then he shouldered his way out the door. Now what was she supposed to do? Eve took a deep breath and sighed. She had an asset to find, but right now she had one to protect. She turned around toward Cassandra. "Sorry, I didn't really introduce myself. I'm Colonel Eve Baird, NATO Counter-Terrorism Unit, and before I go fight these ninjas in Oklahoma, I've got to get you somewhere safe."

The mousey little janitor nodded. "I have an apartment with a couple of girlfriends not far from here. I can take some time off work and just lay low until you get back, I suppose."

Eve quickly shook her head as she ushered them out of the hospital. "No. Whoever is after you will know where you live. We need a safehouse." Eve went over possibilities while they got in her car. "Right. We'll go by your apartment, and if I determine it's clear, you can pack a go bag and stay at my place. It's got security, and so far no one really knows I'm involved."

"I can't be..." Cassandra hesitated and shook her head. She was beginning to look overwhelmed. She had looked so trusting when Flynn had introduced himself as the Librarian, but now--maybe the seriousness of the situation was sinking in. "How long will you be gone?" she finally asked, trying unsuccessfully to keep the worry from her features.

"48 hours. Tops," Eve admitted, as reassuringly as she could.

 

Less than forty-five minutes later, Eve had settled Cassandra into her apartment. They'd even had enough time to do emergency grocery shopping. Bottled water, frozen dinners, a few fruits and vegetables. Eve showed Cassandra how to work the security system, but urged her not to open the door for anyone. Next stop: Oklahoma.

 


	2. Did they meet Charlene?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At the end of the 2-hour pilot (extended edition), Eve mentions something about them all signing non-disclosure agreements. And on the LiTs ride down the elevator the first time, Ezekiel mentions be stuck with a cowboy and a maid. When did they sign these papers, when did they introduce themselves, did they meet Charlene?

"Charlene!" the Librarian shouted as he rounded the corner into her office space.

"Receipts," she said, opening her hand.

"Flight. Clothes. Lunch," Flynn reported, dropping the receipts in her hand and then gesturing toward the modern day Peter Pan next to him. "Ezekiel Jones, world-class thief. Don't let him out of your sight."

"Like I would. You know better than to order me around, Flynn Carsen!"

Flynn bent over and kissed her cheek. "Never, Charlene." He gave her a charming smile, then headed toward the elevator. "Gotta check in with Cal and Judson. Eve should be arriving soon with two more. Send them down after they've signed in, of course." He was getting better at getting the last word in, timing it exactly as the elevator doors closed.

"His people skills are deteriorating faster than usual." Charlene sighed and turned toward the aforementioned thief. "I'll get the papers together while we wait for Colonel Baird and the others." Mr. Jones just nodded as he eyed some of the books and art on the shelves and walls. "Just don't touch anything!"

As promised Colonel Baird arrived with two other young people. She'd interviewed plenty of potential Librarians in the past, but they seemed to be getting younger and younger by the day. She straightened her forms on the desk while inwardly sighing and rolling her eyes. This would not end well.

"Charlene," Eve was introducing, "this is Jacob Stone and Cassandra Cillian, and I see Flynn has brought in Ezekiel Jones."

Charlene passed out a packet of forms to each of them. "Please fill out your name, address, emergency contact." She pointed to the top of the form. "Indicate a bank and account number here and here, where we can send payment for services rendered, _IF_ services are rendered." Charlene watched as Mr. Jones' eyes wandered to the others' papers, just as Mr. Stone was jotting down his address in Oklahoma and Miss Cillian was filling out her employment at the St. Francis Episcopal Hospital. Charlene rolled her eyes again. This one was trouble.

"What's this form?" Miss Cillian asked politely.

"Standard non-disclosure agreement. Sign here, here, and here.

"What you got in here?" Mr. Stone laughed. "The Gutenberg Bible? Original book of Genesis?" The others just stared at him and then at Charlene.

"That's why we have the non-disclosure agreement." They all passed in their forms, and after a cursory check, she led them to the elevator. "Right this way. Colonel Baird, will you show them to the Library? I'll just file these forms away."

One by one, they stepped into the elevator. Charlene shivered as the doors closed. She had a bad feeling about this. She trusted Flynn and Colonel Baird, but those young people. Sarcastic, sneaky...the young woman was polite. But still, something just didn't sit right with her either. She knew she'd feel better after she checked over the security systems and personnel. This was her Library. No matter what anyone else said.


	3. A Chance at Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The missing scenes leading up to Cassandra's betrayal. Hints and beginnings of a Jassandra relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slight edits due to revelations about Cassandra's backstory given in "Heart of Darkness."

It took Lamia a moment to remember what was going on as one of her fellows held out his hand and helped her up from the ground. The helicopter was still burning, and someone was telling her how the Librarians had escaped them. Lamia resisted the urge to hang her head in disappointment. She ordered a few men to radio for trucks from their backup, then she called Dulaque.

"What now, Lamia?"

"They have the Crown. And they got away."

"So the Librarian, the cowboy, the thief, and their Guardian have the Crown." She could practically hear Dulaque seething.

"There's another one with them. From the rest of the list, perhaps. A girl, redhead."

"You're sure?" Dulaque asked, his interest piqued.

"Yes, that's all we could see from the helicopter."

"Well, we may yet have an in." Her boss paused, probably for dramatic effect, the madman. "No need to chase them, Lamia. We know their destination. Get back to the Library."

"But the security," Lamia cut him off. "We can't just break in."

"Just get back to New York and wait for my call. All you'll have to do is walk through the front door."

 

* * *

 

This job did require a lot of running. And flying. And problem-solving. Currently Cassandra and the other four were racing through Berlin's international airport, having boarded the first flight out of Munich that was heading in the right direction. There was absolutely no time to be sitting in airport terminals while crazy, fanatical assassins were chasing you. Unfortunately, they just missed a flight to New York. They could either wait three hours for the next one, or... Cassandra scanned the departures board in front of her, then asked Ezekiel to pull up connecting flights out of London, Paris, or Madrid--yes, she smiled. At least that one was leaving in 30 minutes.

"Charlene will not be happy," Flynn mused out loud. "Last minute flights are not cost-effective."

"Cassandra's right," Baird said. "Better to be up in the air than waiting around." She looked to Ezekiel. "Does Madrid have a connecting flight to New York?"

"No. Not one that we can catch." Ezekiel punched some more keys. "But there are flights to D.C. and Atlanta, departing 20 to 55 minutes after we land."

"Might be our best shot," Jacob said, his eyes constantly scanning the crowd for potential ninja assassin threats.

 

* * *

 

After the race through security to the gate, they finally had a chance to catch their breath on the plane. But all the running, taking off, flying, touching down... It was taking its toll on Cassandra. She was actively using her brain now, not just being subject to the near constant hallucinations brought about by her cross-wired photographic memory, as Flynn had put it. Jacob had helped her not fall into a seizure back at the henge, but the ache pressing against the sides of her head was getting worse and worse.

All she'd seen in the last few days was simply amazing. Why now? Why did she have to have this tumor in her brain? Why was it going to kill her before she even got to live?

She laid back against the headrest and closed her eyes. Cassandra had asked these questions so many times she literally lost count. And for her, that was saying something. She'd been asking them since she was twelve, when a particularly bad headache had caused her to throw up at school and fall into her first seizure. At fifteen, the hallucinations had gotten so bad that she'd had to have her first MRI, her first brain scan. They'd found the inoperable tumor and she'd gone back every month for a year to track its growth rate. _Stop, stop, stop!_ she told herself. Cassandra hated reliving her past like this. There just wasn't any point to it.

She tried falling asleep. Wedged between Jacob and Ezekiel, it wasn't easy, but she did her best. Next thing she knew a bit of turbulence was jostling her awake, and she lifted her head from Jacob's shoulder.

"Sorry," she murmured.

"Don't be," he said with his cute, charming smile. He brushed her hair back as it had gotten caught in the beard stubble around his face. "I was kinda leaning on you for a little shut-eye too." Was that a blush? She smiled back and prepared for the plane's landing. Almost time to start running again.

As soon as they deplaned, they had to race across the Madrid terminal to make their connection. At one point she was about to take a wrong turn, but Jacob caught her hand and pulled her in the right direction. He held her hand the whole way to the gate, letting his hand slide from her elbow to her back as he guided her in front of him to the waiting boarding agents.

As they settled into their seats, he motioned for her to take the window, then he sat next to her in the least comfortable middle seat while Ezekiel took the aisle. Cassandra was really starting to like him. Flynn and Ezekiel were nice enough, but Jacob was...he was gorgeous and sweet and kind to her. She mentally shook her head to clear the nearly runaway train of thought. She didn't want to be caught staring at him with big doe eyes revealing this embarrassing schoolgirl crush. If only she didn't have this ticking time bomb in her head. Here was a man she could be with. One who understood her, and who smiled at her, and didn't seem to pity her. At least she didn't think so. So many people did. That was probably what she hated most. This constant pity for the dead girl walking.

Cassandra had strengths. She knew math and science. She was brilliant. And she was dying. _Not yet_ , she reminded herself, _but sooner than I'd like._ Now she had something to live for. Magic was real. King Arthur and Camelot and his knights. They'd all been real. If only she could be a part of this Library some more. If only she had more time to get to know Jacob. She started thinking that she might do anything if she could only have that time.

 

* * *

They landed in D.C. and had to wait at least an hour for the final leg of their trip back to New York. It was a huge terminal, but none of them were particularly worried about the Brotherhood finding them. They'd taken enough flights that there was no way they could be followed. Unfortunately, something tickled in her brain just as her cell phone rang. Was a chase even necessary if the Brotherhood knew they were heading back to the Library?

Cassandra looked down at her phone hesitantly. Unknown number. Who would be calling her from an unknown number? Answering would be a bad idea. Unless, maybe her roommates needed her... Oh what the hell. She stood up and walked a short distance away. "Hello?"

"Hello, Miss Cillian," a soft-spoken man with a British accent said. "I think we can be of use to each other. I know it was you who found the Crown. None of the others could have solved that ancient puzzle except you."

Cassandra was extremely uneasy, but nevertheless, she moved a bit farther from the group and whispered into the phone. "How do you know about the Crown? And me? Who are you?"

"Someone who can help you. And everyone like you."

"Help me? I don't need any help." Now she knew what was going on. She was being manipulated. They thought she was the weak link.

"Our plans are humanitarian. Nothing more, nothing less. And the Crown is necessary to us. All the Librarians want to do is store it. Keep it out of the wrong hands. A noble gesture to be sure, but it can't do any good when it's locked up, imprisoned as it were."

"Locked up," Cassandra whispered, "ignored."

"Yes," the man said.

A gift like that shouldn't be ignored. Forgotten. "I don't understand." Cassandra fought the confusion building up insider her. "How can you help me? What can the Crown do?"

"It's complicated, my dear, but the magic that we want to bring back can cure you."

A cure. She glanced over at her new aquaintances. She might have the chance to have adventures, and live a normal life. Her eyes fell on Jacob. She might have the chance for love and family. It was wrong to be talking to the man on the phone, but this chance... When would she ever be given this chance again?

And it's not like she knew anything about the Library. For all she knew, they were the hoarders and keepers of magic. With everything they had in that enormous Library, it's not like they'd offered her a cure.

"Cassandra, dear," the man asked, "are you still there?"

"Yes. I... I want a cure." For me and anyone else suffering like me.

"Thank you, Miss Cillian. I knew you were the one brave enough to help our cause."

 

* * *

As they arrived at the Library later that evening, everyone was riding high as a result of their successful adventure. Charlene was noticeably upset about the various expenses, but even she seemed impressed with their efforts. Cassandra on the other hand was riding waves of second thoughts and guilt. While they toasted and congratulated themselves on a job well done, she excused herself to find the restroom and snuck off to the elevator. "They would never understand," she muttered to herself as she opened a side panel and rewired the security system, just as the man on the phone had told her.

As she walked away, she nearly turned around twice to undo what she'd done. Maybe there was another way. It's not like she'd outright asked Flynn and the others to help her find a magical cure. From what everyone was saying, Lamia and the Serpent Brotherhood had tried to kill all of them in some way, shape, or form. Not her, of course. Flynn and Baird had gotten to her before she'd been in any real danger. Unless, maybe she'd never been in any danger at all. Maybe the Brotherhood would've come looking to recruit her instead of kill her like everyone else claimed. Maybe the fact that she was giving Lamia access to the Library was to fix her being stuck with the stuffy Librarians and their stuck-up notion of hiding magic from the rest of the world.

Oh, if only she were the Librarian, things would be so much different. Cassandra would help people. She'd use everything here to help as many people as possible. Jacob would surely understand that. He'd understand why she was making these decisions. And the man on the phone had assured her no one else would be hurt. All Lamia would do is break in and wait for Cassandra to bring her the Crown.

And then they'd cure her. They'd give her a chance to live, to her fullest potential. What more could she possibly ask for?

**Author's Note:**

> It's been quite a while since I've written any fanfiction. I'd like to write a Jassandra piece, but this show is still new to me and I would like to make their relationship feel as true to the show as possible. My guess is the show writers will do something with them in the future, so I'm not sure I want to mess with anything till I know more about what's going on.
> 
> That doesn't stop me from wanting to fill in the some of the missing blanks. The extended cut versions of the episodes help a lot, but there's still a little missing stuff that's better suited to fanfiction and character introspection than TV. Anyhoo, I hope you liked these three little pieces.


End file.
